FIRST GLIMPSE OF THE &quot;COUNTRY&quot;. 87 



and such a country ! green, dripping, glistening, gorgeous! 

 We stood dumb-stricken by its loveliness, as, from the bleak 

 April and bare boughs we had left at home, broke upon us 

 that English May sunny, leafy, blooming May in an En- 

 ghshlane; with hedges, English hedges, hawthorn hedges 

 all in blossom ; homely old farm-houses, quaint stables, and 

 haystacks; the old church spire over the distant trees; the 

 mild sun beaming through the watery atmosphere, and all so 

 quiet the only sounds the hum of bees and the crisp grass- 

 tearing of a silken-skinned, real (unimported) Hereford cow 

 over the hedge. No longer excited by daring to think we 

 should see it, as we discussed the scheme round the old 

 home-fire ; no longer cheering ourselves with it in the stupid, 

 tedious ship; no more forgetful of it in the bewilderment of 

 the busy town-but there we were, right in the midst of it ; 

 long time silent, and then speaking softly, as if it were en 

 chantment indeed, we gazed upon it and breathed it never 

 to be forgotten. 



At length we walked on rapidly but frequently stop 

 ping, one side and the other, like children in a garden 

 hedges still, with delicious fragrance, on each side of us, and 

 on, as far as we can see, true farm-fencing hedges ; nothing 

 trim, stiff, nice, and amateur-like, but the verdure broken 

 tufty, low, and natural. They are set on a ridge of eartli 

 thrown out from a ditch beside them, which raises and 

 strengthens them as a fence. They are nearly all hawthorn 

 which is now covered in patches, as if after a slight fall of 

 snow, with clusters of white or pink blossoms. over its light 

 green foliage. Here and there a holly bush, with bunches of 

 scarlet berries, and a few other shrubs, mingle with it. A 

 cart meets us a real heavy, big-wheeled English cart; 

 and English horses real big, shaggy-hoofed, sleek, heavy 

 English cart-horses ; and a carter a real apple-faced, smock- 



